Overview of
Human Development
Domains & Cognitive
Theory
ELED 4872: Residency 1 Seminar
Child Development
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Definition:
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Change in the child that occurs over time. Changes follow an
orderly pattern that moves toward greater complexity and
enhances survival.
Periods of development:
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Prenatal period: from conception to birth
Infancy and toddlerhood: birth to 2 years
Early childhood: 2-6 years old
Middle childhood: 6-12 years old
Adolescence: 12-19 years old
Domains of Development
Development is described in three domains, but growth
in one domain influences the other domains.
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Physical Domain:
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Cognitive Domain:
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body size, body proportions, appearance, brain development, motor
development, perception capacities, physical health.
thought processes and intellectual abilities including attention, memory,
problem solving, imagination, creativity, academic and everyday
knowledge, metacognition, and language.
Social/Emotional Domain:

self-knowledge (self-esteem, metacognition, sexual identity, ethnic
identity), moral reasoning, understanding and expression of emotions,
self-regulation, temperament, understanding others, interpersonal skills,
and friendships.
Theories

What is a theory?
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Orderly set of ideas which describe, explain, and predict
behavior.
Why are theories important?
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To give meaning to what we observe.
As a basis for action -- finding ways to improve the lives and
education of children.
Cognitive Theories
Beliefs that describe how children learn
Jean Piaget
Cognitive development
theory
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Children "construct" their
understanding of the world through
their active involvement and
interactions.
Studied his 3 children to focus not
on what they knew but how they
knew it.
Described children's
understanding as their "schemas”
and how they use:
 assimilation
 accommodation.
Piaget’s Cognitive
Development Stages

Sensori-motor
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Preoperation
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Ages 2-7: the child uses metal representations of objects and is
able to use symbolic thought and language
Concrete operations

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Ages birth - 2: the infant uses his senses and motor abilities to
understand the world
Ages 7-11; the child uses logical operations or principles when
solving problems
Formal operations

Ages 12 up; the use of logical operations in a systematic fashion
and with the ability to use abstractions
Lev Vygotsky
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Socio-Cultural Theory
Agreed that children are active
learners, but their knowledge is
socially constructed.
Cultural values and customs
dictate what is important to learn.
Children learn from more expert
members of the society.
Vygotsky described the "zone of
proximal development", where
learning occurs.
ced.ncsc.edu/hyy/devtheories.htm
Information Processing Theory
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Uses the model of the computer to describe
how the brain works.
Focuses on how information is perceived,
how information is stored in memory, how
memories are retrieved and then used to
solve problems.